Updates in the skeletal and joint protective effects of tocotrienol: a mini review

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024 Jun 21:15:1417191. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1417191. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Osteoporosis and osteoarthritis continue to pose significant challenges to the aging population, with limited preventive options and pharmacological treatments often accompanied by side effects. Amidst ongoing efforts to discover new therapeutic agents, tocotrienols (TTs) have emerged as potential candidates. Derived from annatto bean and palm oil, TTs have demonstrated efficacy in improving skeletal and joint health in numerous animal models of bone loss and osteoarthritis. Mechanistic studies suggest that TTs exert their effects through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, Wnt-suppressive, and mevalonate-modulating mechanisms in bone, as well as through self-repair mechanisms in chondrocytes. However, human clinical trials in this field remain scarce. In conclusion, TTs hold promise as agents for preventing osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, pending further evidence from human clinical trials.

Keywords: bone; cartilage; osteoarthritis; osteoporosis; vitamin E.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone and Bones / drug effects
  • Bone and Bones / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Osteoarthritis* / drug therapy
  • Osteoarthritis* / prevention & control
  • Osteoporosis* / drug therapy
  • Osteoporosis* / prevention & control
  • Tocotrienols* / pharmacology
  • Tocotrienols* / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Tocotrienols

Grants and funding

The author declares financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The author is supported by Fundamental Research Grant Scheme provided by Ministry of Education, Malaysia (Code: FRGS/1/2022/SKK10/UKM/02/3). The author thanks Ministry of Education, Malaysia and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia for their supports.